Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-11-24
SUpPED WITH THE PRESIDENT.
The Ordeal of Young College Stu
dent Who Was Trapped I'm Hen
Roost.

In the early years OF this century
when log houses were good enough fol
the average Georgian, a certain doctor
presided over Franklin College.
The simple habits of their dignitied
sires did not prevent the boys of those
days from having their fuu-indeed,
they carried on an amount of devilment
which the college boys of these times
would not consider respectable.
The boys thought that anything was
fair which would make one of the fac.
ulty the victim Of joke, and on one
occasion they land a dark plot to rob the
DOCTORS poultry yard and afterward eel
ebrate the event by midnight ban
Quet.
The doctors chickens were the pride
Of his domestic establishment, and he
had bulls for their accommodation a log
house. The logs were notched down
at the corners and held in place by
their own weight and the roof.
At a late hour the boys repaired TO
the hen house, armed with fence rail.
1t was an easy matter to insert the rail
between the two logs and prize up those
above, so as to make an opening
through which man could crawl. A
dapper young fellow, who had visited
the doctors daughters, went in and be
gan to pull the chickens off the roost
and wiring their neckS. While he did
so the boys outside kept their weight
on the rail, and so kept the crack open
for his escape. The nice young man,
whom we will call Bob, had dropped a.
bout dozen chickens outside, and 1.-THE
whole crowd was in high glee over the
prospective banquet. Just then big
old rooster crowed,
Look out, Bob; break the ROSTERS
neck and stop his noise.'
Ssh ! What's that p
There was low growl.
Boys, you have let those logs down
too low; lift them little, so can get
out. Be quick about it p
At this instant there was loud bark
and a big dog bounded into the poultry
yard. The boys on the outside for an
instant stood their ground. They drop
ped the rail and grabbed chance weap-
ons to beat off the dog, but before they
could disable him the door of the doc
tors residence opened and his tall fig
ure appeared. The boys scattered, all
| but one.
The logs had come together again
and Bob was prisoner. He crouchea
in corner and held his breath, hoping
that he would I've overlooked, but the
dog told where lie w;.s.
BY this time tire doctor had come up
and other members of the family came
out, eager to see who was caught in the
man trap.
why, it's Bob
'Who would have thought it ? The
eXclamatlons were heard III the house
and echoed by the young ladies. Then
the door OF the log house WAS opened
and the young man was sent 10 the dor
mitCry. He was called before the fac
ulty the next morning. The poor fel-
low would have sold himself for song,
and expected to be peremptorily expel-
ed and perhaps prosecuted.
Meantime the doctor had thought the
matter over He was man of great
ssRaeitv iR-tAe- e-maRaeement- -boys,-
and he recognized this freak as piece
of wild mischief which might not be
meannPss. He resolved to give the
matter such disposition as would put a
sober head on the young man. Accor-
dinghy, when Bob appeared looking like
d criminal, the doctor lectured him Sc
yerely, but in fatherly way, and told
him that such an offence must not go
without a severe punishment.
Bob expected the sentence of his ex-
pulsion. With measured tones, like a
judge pronouncing the death sentence,
the doctor said :
MIR. -, will expect you to take
supper with me tonight, and, as you
show a fondness for chicken, the fowls
you took off the roost last night will be
on the table,
Bob would rather haye been expelled.
But for the distress it would cause his
parents he would have gone home. In
spite of his larks there was good stuff
in Bob, and with a tremendous effort
he resolved to face the music.
1t is impossible to describe the mental
agony Bob went through that evening
when he sat at the table where the doc
tor presided with courtly dignity.
His elegant wife could not have been
more courteous to an honored CUES
than she was to Bob. and her daughters
treated the young man as cordial as ey-
er. Not word was said about the af-
fair of the night before, but the large
dish of chicken was like mountain in
the poor boys eyes. 1t was the refine
ment of torture when the doctor, with
the utmost suavlty, helped him to the
choicest pieces.
The situation, which under ordinary
circumstances would have been ludi-
crous, under the Doctors composure
and his wife's tact, was carried almost
to the pathetic.
1t was a lesson written on Bob's
memory in burning letters, and lie nev-
er forgot it.